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minds which boldly destroyed the prejudices in science, blind to those in religion? They read, examined, weighed, and believed; and the same vigorous intellect that dispelled the mists which concealed the temple of human knowledge, was itself illuminated with the radiant truths of Divine Revelation. Such authorities, and let me now subjoin to them the name of Sir William Jones, are deservedly entitled to great estimation.

"The mind of this extraordinary man was never tainted with infidelity. But there was a period before his judgment was matured, and before he had studied the Sacred Scriptures with close attention, when his belief in the truth of Revelation was tinged with doubts. But these were the transient clouds, which for a while obscure the dawn, and conceal the rising sun. His heart and judgment told him that religion is a subject of supreme importance, and the evidence of its truth worthy of his most serious investigation. About the twenty-third year of his age, he sat down to the inquiry without prejudice, and rose from it with a conviction, which the studies of his future life invigorated and confirmed. The completion of the prophecies relative to our Saviour had impressed upon his youthful mind this invaluable truth-that the language of Isaiah, and of the prophets, was inspired: and in this belief, to which fresh proofs were progressively added, he closed his life."

A short time before his death, he was on the point of returning to England. His lady had already embarked, and he only remained to complete a few arrangements which his office as Judge rendered necessary. He had been for some time unwell, but still continued to reside at his old garden-house, and all the intreaties of his friends could not prevail on him to come into town, or to suffer any besides his native ser

vants to attend him. A day or two previous to his decease, he, however, consented that a medical attendant should be in the house with him; but this was not finally acted upon till the evening before he died. "I have reason to believe," said the Rev. David Brown, from whose interesting letters the following particulars are principally selected, "that he had little faith in any help that the Physician could bring him, and he even intimated that the will of God must be done, although he submitted to take whatever was prescribed. On the night in which he died, his servants say that he was restless. He got up, ordered some tea, and dressed himself; he then took a little tea, and finding his dissolution rapidly approaching, he desired his attendants to carry him into an inner apartment, where, at his desire, they left him. Returning after a short interval, they found him in a kneeling posture, with his hands clasped, and his eyes fixed towards heaven. As they were removing him, he expired."

Such were the last moments of Sir William Jones. It would have been a great consolation to his surviving friends, to have attended him at the solemn close. As regarded himself, it was, however, unnecessary. He was not alone, for the Invisible was with him; and we may humbly trust that the consolations of religion, which had been his delight and solace in the hour of health, did not forsake him at the last extremity.

"I believe," continues the narrator, "that he resigned himself to God, and committed his soul into the hands of that Redeemer, he confessed before men. He was very sincere in his opinions, and avowed them, but he was cautious not to divulge how much his heart was affected. He knew the world, and his habits led him to conceal what he was apprehensive would not be understood, but placed to the account of religious ostentation: he thought every one must stand or fall by

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his own master, and having made up his mind, he left others to themselves; and let me not say that he erred in so doing. He is gone! and no one in this country has followed him with more reflections and sighs than I have done. He died on Sunday morning, 27th of April, 1794, and was interred the following morning. I went very early, and found only Emin by his body, who shed many tears. I took a candle, and dwelt for some minutes on every feature: his face was infinitely more beautiful in death; his nose had an exquisite delicacy, a fineness and variety I cannot describe, though the idea is fixed deep and clear in my own mind; his mouth was speaking, his forehead expressive of awe, and deeply characteristic of the laborious and unremitting attention he devoted to the acquisition of knowledge. My feelings, perhaps have carried me away, but since the death of that good, enlightened, and dear friend, Mr. William Chambers, I have not felt any thing like the loss of Sir William Jones. He was very communicative on the subjects I have been inquiring into, and his sudden death has greatly damped and discouraged me; for vanity is written on every thing, on all our knowledge and exertions.-To be found in the way of duty, with hope in a Redeemer, is all we have to look to in this life; besides this we know nothing, we are nothing."

Sequel to a Manuscript.

JOHN HOWARD, ESQ, F. R. S.

THIS benevolent man was born at Hackney, about the year 1727. His father died while, he was young, and by his direction the son was apprenticed to a wholesale grocer in Watling Street; but the business neither

suiting his health or disposition, and a handsome fortune falling into his hands, he bought out his time before its regular expiration, and commenced his first travels on the Continent. After his return, his health being much on the decline, he took a lodging at Stoke Newington, with a widow gentlewoman; who nursed him with so much care and tenderness, that he married her out of gratitude, though she was twice his age. She had a small fortune, which, not needing himself, he generously made a present of to her sister.

Mr. H.'s first wife lived but three years after marriage, and was affectionately lamented by him. The year after (viz. 1756) he undertook a second voyage, in order to view Lisbon subsequent to the earthquake; but was taken by a French privateer, and suffered much in his confinement. Upon his return from the Continent, in 1758, he married a second time, to the daughter of Ed. Leeds, Esq. of Cambridgeshire. This lady also lived but a few years with him, dying in childbed in 1765. After this he retired to an estate he purchased in Bedfordshire, where he very much gained the esteem and affection of the poor, by building them cottages, employing the industrious, relieving the sick, and educating the children of the poor. In 1773 Mr. H. served the office of sheriff for the county, which brought him farther acquainted with the misery of prisons; and from this he commenced his career of benevolence and glory.

In 1774 he received the thanks of the House of Commons, for his inquiries and exertions, which animated him to new labours and inquiries; the result of which he published, and in 1780, at the Guildhall, Bristol, Mr. Burke drew his character in the following elegant and well-merited eulogium:

"I cannot name this gentleman without remarking that his labours and writings have done much to open

the eyes and hearts of mankind. He has visited all Europe, not to survey the sumptuousness of palaces, nor the stateliness of temples; not to make accurate measurements of the remains of ancient grandeur, nor to form a scale of the curiosities of modern art; not to collect medals, nor to collate manuscripts; but to dive into the depths of dungeons, to plunge into the infections of hospitals; to survey the mansions of sorrow and pain; to take gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt; to remember the forgotten; to attend to the neglected; to visit the forsaken; and to compare and collate the distresses of all men in all countries. His plan is original, and it is as full of genius as humanity. It is a voyage of philanthropy a circumnavigation of charity. Already the benefit of this labour is felt more or less in every country: I hope he will anticipate his final reward of those who visit the prisoner, and he has so far forestalled and monopolized this branch of charity, that there will be, I trust, little room to merit by such acts of benevolence hereafter."

While Mr. H. was absent on his last tour but one, a proposal was made to erect a statue to his honour while yet living, and a considerable subscription raised for that purpose; but immediately as he heard of the design, he remonstrated so strongly against it, that it was laid aside. "Have I not one friend," said he, "in England, that would put a stop to such a proceeding?" The last time he was in England, he published his account of the principal lazaretos, hospitals, and prisons, in several parts of Europe. He commenced his last journey, in July, 1789, in which he proposed to visit Turkey, Russia, and other parts of the East, and not to return under three years; withal арprehending that he, very probably, never might return, which proved to be the event; for while he was at

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